Morning journal and courier., 1887-01-12
Yes. Four balls through the heart. y

eS. -Four OailS through the QeaEt.
$50 much the better. He did not suffer, .
And the general picked up "Mahan on
Field Fortifcations.'
81 heard that the boy belonged to a good
| family" said the major. ''He ran away
from home and joined the army, and fought
bravely. His desertion was more of little
escapade than anything else"
eff Sherman was not pressing us SO
Internally hard" interrupted the captain,
che would have been let off, but the court
martial just rushed things through, and
there was nobody to look after the boy"
Boom! Boom. thundered the cannon over
the hills at the fir Mt.
"Why should anybody look after him!''
interposed the general. "We must look af-
ter the army and its discipline"
Booni
"The fact is" continued the general,
"matters have reached point where we must
make an example of every man who fails to
do his duty
81 admit it," replied the captain, s'but it
makes my blood run cold to slaughter mere
boys"
The eneral tucked Jominis cart of
War; in his pocket and paid for it. Then
he turned around and cleared his throat.
CHOW listen to me-" he said impressive
ly. ''You certainly will give me credit for
the average amount of kindness, sympathy
and human feeling. Yet cannot agree with
you about that deserter. According to all
accounts he was a sensible lad. He knew
his duty as soldier. He knew that if he
deserted he would be shot. What did he
do? When the enemy was marching on,
threatening this very city, endangering the
existence of the Confederae:, he sneaked off
to the woods. Some say he was going to
see his mother. 1t does not matter. He
was deserter. If we spared him others
would have to be spared. The army would
be demoralized. Desertions would be the
- lor- l.1 ocl1o Ii,
an example. 1t could NOT be avoided. Now,
let US drop the subject. l know that 1
right, and should like to see anyone stand
up and say that am wrong"
Boom! Boom.
The wave of thunderous sound rolled
over the whole city, and psople stopped to
listen.
Just then light wagon covered with dust
and evidently from the country stopped in
front of the store Two women alighted and
came in. One was quite young, and the other
who was old enough to be her mother leaned
on her arm.
''Have you an evening papers" the young
woman asked the bookseller.
He handed one to her, and the old woman,
arranging her spectacies, glanced nervously
over it.
'sYes.it is true that there was an execution
here today" she whispered hurriedly to her
companion.
Boom!
For some reason the officers relapsed into
an embarrassed silence. The major with
his index finger commenced drawing for
tifcations on q map of Georgia. The captain
looked noodily at the floor. The general
pulled Jomini's cart of War; out of his
pocket and then thrust it back again.
''Oh, mercy" exclaimed the young woman
in low tone, "those people told us the truth
them
''Oh. my God! My poor murdered boyl"
So wild, unearthly and piercing was the
cry that every man in the room started III
alarm.
The old woman had fallen back in chair
gasping for breath, with her face as white as
a sheet.
Her companion gently famed her until she
laid her gray head on her hand and sobbed
aloud.
Turning to the sympathetic and silent spec
tators the young woman pointed to a para
graph in the paper and said:
cit was her boy-her only son. The
paper calls it military justice. We call it
The general gradually moved toward the
door. His head was bowed and his hands |
trembled. AS soon he got outside he |
walked off at rapid pace Tne major made |
several Intellectual attempts to build strong |
redoubt with his finger tip on the map of |
Georgia, but suddenly collapsed and abrupt |
ly boited. The captain remained. He |
Drought the Ola WOuehn grass OF water, anu
famed her while he listened with sad but |
kindly face to the young woman's story.
IL seems that the boys mother lived thirty |
miles in the country. Vague reports reached
her that her son was in trouble, and she |
rode in with neighbor, arriving an hour
or tive after the execution. l caught this |
much of it, and then an eager desire seized |
me to follow the example of the general and
the major. AS l went out Of the door [
looked back. The old woman was silently
praying, while the tears ran down her with
cred cheeks. Her friend looked down upon
her with pitying eyes, and the captain had
one hand over his bronzed face. The big
guns continued to boom all that afternoon,
but did not hear them. 1 had something
else to think of.